eye roblems

[Liz J.]

Hi all,

I have been experiencing something like a bright flashing light, from my left eye on and off for the past few days. Had a thorough eye exam from Opthamologist in January. Have bad vision to start with (extremely near sighted since childhood) also now need the reading glasses for just about everything. Is this a symptom of brain mets. I had CTscans with contrast for chest, abdomen and pelvis 1/06. And second bone scan 12/06. Was dx 4/05. Had 6 rounds of CAF and now on Arimidex and get Herceptin every 3 weeks. Any advice would be so helpful. Thanks, Liz J.

[AlaskaAngel]

Liz,

It doesn't necessarily mean that, but it is one of the reasons to seriously consider having an MRI of the brain. If you are feeling unsure one way or the other, let the ophthalmologist know you are having new symptoms after having just recently had the exam, and likely he/she will want to take another look at you.

I don't quite follow your time sequence of 12/06 for the bone scan but think probably you meant 2/06 and are having trouble seeing (or typing)?

AlaskaAngel

[Liz J.]

Hi AlsakaAngel, You are correct. Thank you. The bone scan was done 12/05. I will stay posted. Thanks so much . Liz J.

[madubois63]

I would absolutely tell your oncologist ASAP and request an MRI of the brain. Best to rule things out and sleep well at night...On the bright side, I did experienced this long before I had BC and it turned out to be nothing. I was told that now that I've had BC, even my hang nails have to be checked out if it was bothering me...not hangnails, but you get the idea??

[Marlys]

Liz, Flashing could be related to retinal problems and although your oncologist may need to know you most definitely should see your ophthamologist as soon as possible!!
Best of luck,Marlys

[pattyz]

Liz,
The ONLY symptom I had with my first dx of brain mets was the flashing 'light show' in my left eye; peripheral vision. It would come and go.

You need and DESERVE an MRi with contrast. IMHO.

hugs,
pattyz

[uma]

I think it could be what is known as PVD (Posterior Vitreous Detachment). Don't worry. Ask your Eye doctor to test for PVD. What happens is the vitreous humour inside the eye gets detached and when it rubs the Retina you get flashes. My husband had it, and temporarily your eyesight is affected by those flashes, which scare you. But as time goes by, it disappears. This could be due to heavy eye strain, such as close-work with computer displays etc. That is what my husband says, as he got it suddenly one day about 6 years ago. Later now he is normal. It could also be due to Herceptin or Chemo. Don't worry, it will clear, but go to a good opthalmic doctor who knows PVD and follow his advice.
uma

[lisahammo]

I've noticed that my eye sight has rapidly declined since I've had chemo. I now also need reading glasses, after always having 20/20 vision.

Good luck.

Love Lisa

[AlaskaAngel]

How are you doing with this one, Liz?

AlaskaAngel

[Liz J.]

Hi Alaska Angel, Thanks for checking in on me. The flashing has stopped, but I am getting some heavy duty headaches (something I never usually had). I think I have been very uptight lately. Not like me, I usually try to go with the flow. I was all set to tell my onc. yesterday (went for 4th round of Herceptin, go every 3 weeks) that I need a brain MRI and lo and behold he is on vacation. So I got one of his associates, nice guy but---, wasn't about to go there with this. He was about to take my BP when I asked if I could rinse off my contact lens as something had gotten in there. This seemed to throw him off. He never did take the BP or weight or listen to the chest - you know all the normal stuff they do. I told him I was seeing the gyn that afternoon and would request a CA125. He then looked at my file and said my last blood work (3weeks ago) was not good. After a fast beat of the heart I asked him what that meant. He said my blood hemolized (sp?) so they could not get a good reading but that I should tell the nurses to include CA125with the routine blood work, pre-Herceptin. As Murphy's law goes, nurse takes blood,I ask her if it is good to go, she says yes. She gives the benadryl and Herceptin infusion and just minutes before I am finished she tells me the blood hemolized (sp?) so she would have to take more. Found a vein and got some. I asked if I should wait around but she said this one should be ok. Don't even want to know how the gyn appt. went. I have been going to him for about 6 years. Thankfully for nothing more than the annual pap. Have not seen him since a few weeks before my diag. 4/05. He was cold as ice, asked a few questions, didn't seem to know what Herceptin was. I told him my onc. wants me to have a transvag sono every 6 months. He said that was good and wrote a script for one and told me I should call the office in 5 months to get another script. OK. Now on to the breast surgeon for 3 month checkup. He is a great guy, don't get me wrong, but he told me the Herceptin was like "getting extra credit, you already did the book report, again this is extra credit." Needless to say I was so frustrated when I got home. I was thankful nothing big came up, but it seems like no one is on the same page and I am losing confidence in the whole system. Sorry for all this. You will probably never contact me again, but I had to vent. I know you spared my husband tonight because he was going to hear it. Like I said, I usually am not like this. I try to keep it in perspective and love to have a sense of humor but not sure what to do next. Hugs, Liz J.

[AlaskaAngel]

Hi Liz.

I think your writing says it ALL. I don't know whether to laugh or cry with you. It is amazing how little crossover of knowledge there is sometimes between the left hand and the right hand (much less the heart or the brain). It is a constant effort to keep educating them. Please keep your wonderful dry sense of wonder and humor that the system manages to function at all. I would tell you about my present experiences too, but yours truly expressed it better.

What is also amazing to me is that as patients we still manage to stay as close as possible to being on track even though unlike our hired help, we usually have to wait and beg for any objective reports that we pay for them to see.

I am entirely sympathetic about the awful headaches, believe me.

GO FOR THE MRI. I AM, EVEN IF I HAVE TO SWIM TO SEATTLE FROM HERE TO GET IT.

Stay in touch and let us know where things go next.

AlaskaAngel

[mkrny]

Liz,
Don't mean to scare you but we found out that my wife (Maryann) has brain mets that first presented as eye problems. After mildly mentioning flashes of light in right peripheral field for a few months Maryann finally got oncs attention and we went to the ER for dx. After CT and MRI (both w/ contrast) Maryann is now getting brain mets treated.

Better to get the MRI w/ contrast ASAP. Ideally the scan will rule brain mets out but if MRI lights up hopefully an earlier dx for you will mean easier course of treatment for you than what my Maryann is going through.
Ken & Maryann